Lighthouse

A hearty congratulation is due to all those busy folks who made the dream of reopening the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse an award-winning reality. Mackinac State Historic Parks has won an Institutional Achievement award from the Michigan Museums Association as part of the annual Quest for Excellence program, recognizing exceptional programs, graphic projects and professional activities in Michigan museums. Since beginning active restoration of the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, state park officials have completed an historic structures report, repaired the roof and windows of both the light tower and the nearby fog signal house, acquired the original Fresnel lens on loan from the United States Coast Guard and in June opened the Mackinaw City landmark to public tours.

PETOSKEY -- Petoskey City Council members will consider Monday whether to pull authorization for a lighthouse to be placed in Quarry Park, uphill from the city's waterfront. The regular council meeting begins at 7 p.m. Monday at city hall, 101 E. Lake St. Council member Tom Postelnick has requested that a resolution that would repeal the lighthouse authorization again be considered. In 2010, the council had decided to allow the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association to place the proposed lighthouse -- a privately funded replica of one that stood on Petoskey's breakwater many years ago -- in Quarry Park along Lewis Street.

PORT AUSTIN, Mich. (AP) - The federal government is suing a tiny Michigan museum to recover a 19th-century lighthouse lens that helped ships navigate Lake Huron. The 900-pound lens, built in France, has been displayed since 1987 at a former life-saving station at the tip of Michigan's Thumb. The government is objecting because it doesn't have an agreement with Huron City Museums. The U.S. Coast Guard donated the lens to the city of Harbor Beach in 1970 under certain conditions.

An expensive undertaking in Charlevoix will restore the town's Lake Michigan harbor lighthouse to its 1950s-era glory. This worthy effort includes repainting the structure at the mouth of the Pine River Channel from the current white to the original red. According to Charlevoix Historical Society member Mary Adams, this part of the restoration process will bring the lighthouse in line with its most significant historical period. Phase one will start in the spring. That includes replacing the windows and making the structure watertight.

CHARLEVOIX - Officials with the Charlevoix Historical Society recently began the third and final phase of restoration work on the Pine River Channel south pier light. Historical society representative Mike Bergeon said last week crews from Mihm Enterprises, a contracting firm that specializes in restoration of historic structures and the same firm that has done the previous two phases of restoration work, began working on scraping and painting the interior of the lighthouse. Workers will also be replacing a couple of brass vent covers.

CHARLEVOIX - Say goodbye to the white and hello to the red. Within the next five years, Charlevoix's lighthouse will have a fresh new look. After receiving approval from the Charlevoix City Council on Monday, the Charlevoix Historical Society is ready to return the lighthouse to its original color and begin renovation. "Part of the restoration process is to bring the lighthouse back to its period of historical significance, which is 1948 to 1955," said society member Mary Adams.

The small cost of $5 can give you access to a piece of precious maritime history. The Old Mackinaw Point Lighthouse that stands strong on the shores of the Straits of Mackinac in Mackinaw City has opened its doors to visitors. Thanks to a $2.4 million renovation project, the Mackinac State Historic Parks is now offering public tours of the lighthouse and a glimpse back at an era that is fast becoming just a memory. The historic castle-like structure, which was built in 1892, was operated continuously until 1957.

A new book compiled by the Charlevoix Historical Society about pier lights will be selling for $10. Entitled ?Charlevoix Pier Lights,? the book follows the purchase of the Charlevoix South pier light, from the U.S. Coast Guard to the City of Charlevoix. ?This book is the first in a planned series of books on the Charlevoix area history.? Said Karen Lewis, curator of collections. The potential series of books will be published only if they continue to get funding, or if the Charlevoix Pier Lights book makes enough money, according to Dave Miles, CO-director of the Historical Society.

Story by Ann Rowland Here?s a riddle. Question: What do you say to someone taking a Staycation? Answer: ?Non voyage!? In case you didn?t know, there?s a new word in the dictionary: staycation (or stay-cation, or stacation). It is ?a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions.? (Wikipedia) Because of high gas prices and high unemployment rates, people simply cannot afford to take vacations the way they used to, causing a rise in the number of staycations.

CHARLEVOIX - Officials with the Charlevoix Historical Society recently began the third and final phase of restoration work on the Pine River Channel south pier light. Historical society representative Mike Bergeon said last week crews from Mihm Enterprises, a contracting firm that specializes in restoration of historic structures and the same firm that has done the previous two phases of restoration work, began working on scraping and painting the interior of the lighthouse. Workers will also be replacing a couple of brass vent covers.

EAST JORDAN -- The Lighthouse Missionary Church in East Jordan will host the 2013 World Day of Prayer at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 1. Women, men and children in more than 170 countries and regions will celebrate World Day of Prayer. The women of France have chosen the theme "I was a stranger and you welcomed me," drawing on customs of hospitality found in Leviticus. World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christians of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March.

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (AP) - The city of Grand Haven officially is the legal owner of two lighthouses on the city's south pier leading out to Lake Michigan. City manager Pat McGinnis tells WGHN the deed from the U.S. Coast Guard arrived last month. The radio station reports Thursday ( http://bit.ly/YLrpCj ) that a formal deed transfer ceremony will take place during a dinner in a couple of months. A recent community-wide campaign raised $99,000 in 99 days, funding that was used by local volunteers to restore the exterior of the structures this past fall.

25 years ago Food Co-op hopes to buy building The 500 members of the Grain Train Natural Foods Co-op hope to buy more than just organically-grown foodstuffs in 1988. They also hope to purchase the building on Howard Street that has served as the co-op's home since 1979. Individuals who join the co-op pay yearly dues until they have accumulated $100 worth of payments. At that point, they become lifetime members. This year, members are being asked for an additional $50 each to help fund purchase of the building.

PORT AUSTIN, Mich. (AP) - The federal government is suing a tiny Michigan museum to recover a 19th-century lighthouse lens that helped ships navigate Lake Huron. The 900-pound lens, built in France, has been displayed since 1987 at a former life-saving station at the tip of Michigan's Thumb. The government is objecting because it doesn't have an agreement with Huron City Museums. The U.S. Coast Guard donated the lens to the city of Harbor Beach in 1970 under certain conditions.

PETOSKEY -- Petoskey City Council members decided Monday to keep the light on for a beacon to potentially be built in a local park. A resolution that would have repealed the city's 2010 authorization for the privately funded lighthouse project in Quarry Park died by a 4-1 vote during Monday's regular council meeting. Council member Tom Postelnick, who cast the vote in favor of repeal, had proposed that the council revisit the decision from two years ago. The project, proposed by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, would involve constructing a replica of a former lighthouse that once stood along Petoskey's breakwater.

CHARLEVOIX - When people think of Charlevoix, likely one of the first images that come to mind is the landmark lighthouse on the south pier of the Pine River Channel. The big question, it seems for some, is: What color is the lighthouse in that mental image? That question appears poised to come before the Charlevoix City Council for its consideration as one city resident, backed by others, is asking the council to change the lighthouse's color back to white. At its Aug. 6 regular semi-monthly meeting, resident Julee Roth had been on the agenda to make her case to the council, but asked to have consideration of the matter postponed until the next regular meeting so she could do further research.

MACKINAW CITY -- Indiana Jones never does paperwork. That's what one student said about the slow process of uncovering Emmet County's early history. A team of anthropology students from Central Michigan University spent seven days working at the Emmet County-owned lighthouse since Aug. 4 to excavate what remains of a barn that was once thought to be located on the property. The group also spent time at the lighthouse on St. Helena Island and at its former fishing village. The dig -- performed in two small cross-section excavations -- concluded Friday.